First, I want to apologize for not providing a detailed analysis of each game last week. I should probably also go ahead and use this opportunity to apologize for not writing a thorough recap of this week's action.
Most of you probably recognize that the job of a commissioner requires a lot of time and work. To be an effective commissioner, you'll take all the help you can get. Thus, Mrs. Commish and I have two Commissioners-In-Training (CIT). One is 8 years old and the other is 14, but we don't seen the 14 year old much anymore since she keeps her office door closed all the time now and only talks via text or SnapChat....pffft, teenagers.
Last week, we spent several days at Phoenix Children's Hospital - an incredible facility with incredible staff - with my 8 year old CIT and learned that he has type 1 diabetes. Or, as the cool kids call it, "T1D". The news sent us into a whirlwind.
On one hand, we were grateful to learn that we're dealing with something that can be managed, as opposed to pediatric cancer or hemophilia which are much more difficult to deal with and usually have far greater consequences. And, this brief article about Mark Andrews proves that.
On the other hand, we're now committed, for life, to ensuring we perform all the functions his pancreas no longer can. I never thought I would grow up to be an organ.
I won't bore you with all of the details, but essentially we received a three day crash course in everything from insulin sensitivity factors to carbohydrate ratios and protein identification, a.k.a. ketones - you know, all of the stuff in the 10th grade biology book that you skimmed over and forgot about once the mid-term tests were done.
The onslaught of information was a lot like trying to drink from a fire hose, except you must commit it to memory or the risks of mismanaging this condition are very bad. That's why I didn't have the space or time to be able to produce any posts.
To be sure, our little CIT hasn't skipped a beat. He's felt mostly fine throughout this whole ordeal and was actually pretty miffed at being diagnosed with T1D just six days before Halloween...the Super Bowl of sugary snack acquisition. Can you imagine if you were only six days away from playing in the title game while in your prime and you're suddenly told that you're being put on injured reserve despite feeling no problems?!?
I can tell you that we're making a lot of progress in our understanding of this condition and slowly, but surely, we're getting better at managing it. This means that I should be able to get back to more regular posting. In the meantime, I'm asking for patience with the understanding that I will always do my best to provide content. I will certainly keep track of all of the contests and managing the leagues, but writing blog posts might prove challenging at times.
Just writing and sharing this story is cathartic for me and I appreciate that you've read to this point. If there's anything I hope you gain from it, it's that you should keep a close watch on those little GMs of yours and be sure to speak up if you see anything unusual. Subtle symptoms are easy to dismiss when looked at individually, but knowledgeable people can look at them holistically and see a more accurate picture. If it were left to me, our CIT would've probably become sicker before I reacted. Thankfully, Mrs. Commish was a pediatric oncologist for many years and recognized the larger picture.
Having said all of that, I won't be writing a regular recap post this week, but there is an important piece of business that I need to point out and clarify.
One thing I never take pleasure in is rules enforcement. No one wants to be the bad cop.
This week, Shiva Kaminis left their D/ST position empty on their starting lineup and, pursuant to the rules, I was forced to award BattleBornKid the victory because of forfeit.
That oversight on their part cost them a much needed victory in a week where they scored 141 points. However, I should also point out that although they lost the game due to forfeit, I did not penalize them in the challenges...that's not part of the rule. They still earned the High Score weekly prize and remain in the Survivor Challenge based upon what they did, in fact, score without a D/ST.
I sincerely hope they can bounce back and find their way back into the playoff race.
Please let this instance serve as a reminder to all members that, if you haven't already, you need to be sure you're familiar with the rules of our league. Our league rules have been carefully crafted throughout the years to ensure fair and honest play among all.
If you ever have a question or idea about the rules, please feel free to reach out to me.
GOLDEN TICKET CHALLENGE
The Golden Tate Warriors are still leading this contest but gave up about 18 points of their lead to the second place team, Thundabuddies, this week. At this point in the season, it's hard to see any team sitting more than 100 points off the leader making a push. However, one big injury could change that.
SURVIVOR CHALLENGE
We're down to our final four in each league and immunity is no longer available. This week's eliminations were Do Not Panic (100 pts) and My Chubb's Hardman (87 pts).
PIGSKIN PICK'EM CHALLENGE
The Thundabuddies took over the top position in this challenge and now hold a one game lead of our previous leaders, Golden Tate Warriors and We're on to Cleveland!. Badazz Bri and Jalenhouse Rock are lurking just three and five games back, respectively.
On a side note, one league member has told me that their picks aren't always saving correctly. Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to change/edit anyone's picks. My suggestion is to make your picks but double-check them right before game times lock. If you're having problems, please let me know. I don't have much control over ESPNs functionality, but I'll try to work with you where I can.
WEEKLY SCORE WINNERS
Highest Score: Baby Got Dak (153) and Shiva Kaminis (141)
Highest Score - Loss: Pork Chop Express (126) and We're on to Cleveland! (133)
Lowest Score - Win: Los Perros Locos (98) and BattleBornKid (101)
COMMISH'S PICKS
I haven't calculated these yet but, if the trends hold, I probably finished around .500 again.
Good luck in week 9!
-- Commish
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